The Unforgiven
by Kriftonucci
Summary: Just because there's good in everyone doesn't always mean people ever get the chance to know. EEnE/Wayside crossover.On Hiatus
1. Chapter I

The Unforgiven

By Dead Promises

--

Not everyone could be happy for most of the occasion. Sometimes, when someone is a bit insecure about the way their feeling, the best medicine would be time. Time, unlike laughter, didn't need a limit as long as patience was on someone's side.

That's exactly how Edmund felt as he made his way into an apartment only a few yards away from him as of that moment. What he thought was perfect for accompanying with time was perhaps a stroll around a few blocks of a suburban area near his abode. Or at least it was helpful in easing the stress he had with his daily needs.

For Edmund, however, he seemed to deem this normal for a tall, brown haired sophomore in college. Especially since social problems were the least of his worries. What he didn't know was that compared to what he was about to face that night, anything he found normal was the least of his problems.

"Okay, so maybe if I take the time to advance a bit on history, then I can find some of the ingredients I need for that frigid cake I have to make" Said Edmund before entering the building.

"Well that's great, if Revile could come in early for once I'd be able to sleep more instead of wasting my time-" Edmund could have finished.

But before he continued walking towards the next hallway, something seemed to give him a cold feeling all of a sudden. After passing one of the crosscurrent rooms in his pathway, he made the thought he perhaps saw something. Something odd yet nears enough to make him deem it almost familiar.

Edmund turned around. What he saw was just an empty spot on the wall that separated the two doors. All Edmund could assume was that perhaps he was sleepy enough to have been able to imagine ideas such as that one. Nothing more could be said, all he did was shrug while he continues his pace towards his room.

Upon arriving to his room, he took the keys out of his pocket and opened the door without expecting anything. After all, he already had the feeling that his roommate Revile was all but there at ten o clock. But as soon as he entered, the sound of swift movement made Edmund freeze as his eyes pop open almost wide enough to make him want to close them if he kept them like that for too long. Soon enough, he turned the lights on near him before he had the idea of uttering something.

"Revile? Is that you?"

With just the lights on, all Edmund was able to see next to him was nothing more than two beds and a drawer. In other words, what he was used to seeing. Just the sight of the window open as the breeze that came in blew the curtains towards him was abnormal for Edmund as of now.

That was until Edmund came up with an excuse to ditch his fear of vagueness.

"Yeah, that douche doesn't even know how to keep the windows closed before leaving" Said Edmund while he came onto his bed and took out a textbook from one of his arithmetic subjects, opened it and began reading a page he had designated with a sticky note.

"Ha! I'm starting to think like my little brother's friend! What was his name again?" Chuckled Edmund while stopping his lecture for a moment to take hold of the sticky note and glare at it for a moment. Edmund could have gone on looking at the sticky note with nostalgia, had it not been for an unexpected intervention.

"Double D"

Edmund's smile faded immediately as he wore a surprised gaze that grew to him almost on the verge of gasping when he turned to his right. On top of his roommate's bed was a wooden board with an oddly drawn face on it.

"All right, I know I'm sleepy, and sleepiness leads to hallucinations, but why would you be there?" Asked Edmund, trying to sound less serious than he wanted to.

"Exactly, I wouldn't, because you're not hallucinating!" The almost demonic reverberating voice replied. Which could as has that moment been assumed it was originating from the piece of wood.

Otherwise what Edmund could by far take for granted it was no one else than Plank.

Now was the time Edmund had a right to feel surprised.

"What are you doing here then? I thought I could live a normal life now! It thought there wasn't anything to worry about anymore!" Edmund asked intolerantly.

"That's just it, something went out of line, and-"

Plank made a detrimental pause before knowing there was no other way of saying it except the way it was supposed to sound.

"-and they found out his middle name"

--

**Hey everyone! You know, my initial intention was to first write the whole thing, THEN post. But then I thought "Why dont I let the people decide?"**

**So that's what I'm going to do. I'm not posting this to have it pop., but to see if you all want it or something.**

**For once, I'd just like some good ol' constructive criticism, okay.**

**So, um, yeah! R and R (well, since you already did the first thing, do the second!)**


	2. Chapter II

If Edmund didn't feel a bigger shock before, as of now he made up for it through an almost inaudible gasp.

"Well, he didn't just go to his room like it was not a big deal, right?" Edmund asked, hoping there wouldn't be anymore worrying.

"I'm afraid if that hadn't happened, I wouldn't be here as of right now" Plank replied almost remorsefully.

"WHAT?! THEN WHAT HAPPENED?! I mean, I'm sure his…well, shadow didn't go and get released, am I right?" Edmund exclaimed without awareness of someone maybe able to hear him there. No longer did he expect the situation to be this serious.

Right until Plank exclaimed in an exasperating mood something to bring it back to that condition.

"You really are as damn ignorant as I though you'd be. THIS IS HIS SHADOW WE'RE FUCKING TALKING ABOUT! But did you honestly think for more than a second that having his middle name out in the open was a good idea?!"

Edmund closed his eyes and remained that way until a couple of seconds went by.

"Well, I figured he'd be at least responsible enough to keep his wallet from anyone's hands. I'm sorry" Edmund replied, almost beginning to soak up guilt.

Plank didn't move as he was obviously unable to show any signs of mood changes since his exterior was all that showed. Still, he knew somewhere he perhaps shouldn't go to far on this. At least not on Edmund for this course.

"Don't kill yourself. It's not like I could have done anything either" Replied Plank slowly.

Once that was said, Edmund looked at him in the eye once more before he said something else.

"No problem with that, but even after he was released, were you able to stop him or anything?" Asked Edmund, before expecting a short pause of silence once again.

"I told you, NO! There wasn't a thing I could do, once his **shadow** came into being, he succeeded in getting back at everyone who made a joke of him because of

his middle name. I'd be happy to know how exactly he was able to have the tenure of anthrax on his side. No one but he could have been able to prepare something as contemptible as that"

From there on, Edmund wore a solemn gaze while he looked down to think about it. Once he could find out something, he looked to his left before replying.

"Even my cohort host Johnny died. I wasn't able to do anything since I wasn't born like an earth being who could breathe or even become affected by the substance"

All Edmund felt like doing was remaining silent until he could think up something that might make him think differently of the state of affairs he now knew was underway.

"So nobody survived then?" Edmund asked.

Plank, being the piece of wood he was wasn't able to show signs that he was attempting to figure out something. Nevertheless did it take short for him to say something?

"Not quite, five people DID survive" Plank replied before answering Edmund's next question that which he hadn't even thought of.

"Lee May and Marie Kanker were never associated with the situation, their lives were spared. Ed, of course, wasn't near anyone, not even his little sister, when they were infected."

Plank wanted to finish, but he wasn't so sure about what he was about to say next. If he had been, there wouldn't be anymore pauses.

"Can I assume that the third person was perhaps his one friend, Double D? If it is, what happened to him?" Edmund interjected.

Plank remained silent as if he didn't want to speak anymore. This could have been what Edmund thought of at first, had it not been for his nearly brought about boredom.

"It seemed to me he and his family ran away, and they looked as though the had the scheme of obliterating their identities"

"Why would they want to do that?" Asked Edmund while moving his entire hand onto his chin to scratch.

"That, I do not know. All I know is that Eddy's **shadow** plans to reach him first in order of completing his ultimate quarrel. Ed can not be harmed by him, yet. But if we don't find Double D before he does, there isn't any doubt he'll kill him" Plank replied.

Edmund sighed as all of a sudden it seemed to him his head became heavier than he thought. He used his hand to support it, yet went of and asked.

"Isn't there anything you can do to find him?" Asked Edmund, as he was not very sure on what to believe.

"Well, I don't know if this will serve as support, but I have found a clue" Plank quickly replied.

"That's cool, what is it?" Edmund asked. That was before Plank was about to give an extensive explanation.

"After I was able to hack into the computer of individual identities around the state, I discovered that indeed where Double D's records were supposed to be positioned were no longer marked on the spot, but someone else's"

"Now, there are two likelihoods: either someone else's records have been the replacement of his, or Double D decided to stay with a new name, a new appearance, and new traits" Plank finished.

"And IF he was the same person with different name, what would it be?" Edmund asked.

A pause that almost lasted for five seconds went off. Afterwards, Plank replied.

"I can't remember the name. All I know is that he doesn't wear a hat anymore, which shows off his orange hair, and he now crosses the threshold of a school five miles from here"

Edmund didn't know if he was perhaps being impatient when he asked this, or if he knew Plank shouldn't have been neglecting to include every single detail.

"Do you know which school exactly?" Asked Edmund.

"I can't hold enough memory to remember it, all I know is that it's a freakishly thirty stories high school" Plank replied.

At first Edmund would have found this uneasy to figure out. Yet when he looked out the window, something like a small speck throughout the valley like land made an epiphany head his way.

"Oh, you mean Wayside, right?"

Edmund turned around to face Plank, but saw he had vanished from the spot he was. All there was in his place was a letter.

Edmund came near it and took hold of the letter before reading it:

_I'm going to go find him._

_If I do, I'll try to inform_

_You ASAP._

_In the meantime, keep your eyes_

_Peeled!_

"Oh, that's just awesome" Edmund said sardonically.

With only that much to see, there wasn't anything else he could think about. Edmund didn't find it fun at all to see he had more problems than his own to worry about. All he could do as of that moment was lay on his bed before he resumed studying.

He was sure as of then that no even being able to move out from where he used to live could have made him anymore normal.

This feeling didn't last long as he soon began hearing footsteps walking right outside his apartment. He suspected it could have been Revile for once. Yet as soon as he came up into the window to see who it might have been, he knew it was never safe to assume.

But that didn't mean a smile didn't show up on his face once he peered his eyes to look closely at the hooded figure walking towards the building. Her only facial feature was enough to make it safe to guess it couldn't have been anyone else as he said it to himself.

"Well, if it ain't Lee K"


	3. Chapter III

(Friday, 9:00 AM)

Just the run of the mill day down at Wayside as usual during the minute Ms. Jewls had finished taking attendance for the day. Of course, the classroom was not only joyous enough to be wild at times, yet sympathetic towards any minor details concerning someone.

"Good morning class, today I have some good news and some not so happy news" Said Ms. Jewls as she took out a slip of paper from under her desk and began to read it out loud.

"The bad side is Todd, who you all know, has recently been suffering from some disassociate identity disorder syndrome I know nothing about but which they have just informed me the least bit of. Lets all hope he'll become better soon"

Just the idea after being informed made almost every student in the room feel a tad bit guilty. Especially Dana and Mauricia, who couldn't stop to think perhaps, they would have had something to do with it. Myron, of course, was left wondering however why this had occurred.

Nevertheless did Ms. Jewls proceed in giving the positive aspect of the news.

"The good side however, is that we all have a new student, please welcome him, as he has just moved here, Carl Reppiks"

After saying that, Ms. Jewls kindly opened the door.

There entered a kid who despite his small stature, red orange hair, and seemingly nerdy taste for fashion with a brown turtleneck with a pen protector, and red baggy pants, wasn't as joyous as anyone thought he would be.

Still, everyone said "Hi Carl" in the only way they could consider happy to him.

"Oh, hi" Carl replied, as though he couldn't care less about anything going on as of that moment.

"So Carl, since you're new here, can you tell us something special about you?" Ms. Jewls asked meticulously.

Carl remained just as dull as he was when he came in while he answered Ms. Jewls question.

"Unless you think being able to read other people's minds by only looking at their eyes or touching them is bizarre, guess I'm not so special" Carl said.

Of course everyone in the classroom, including Ms. Jewls and her fish were laughing from hearing that claim.

Once it had died down, however, Ms. Jewls saw that Carl was looking at her in a way that must have been telling her almost in a nasty tone to continue her job.

"Um, thanks Carl. Now children, just like Todd, Carl and his family have just moved here, so make him feel welcome and comfy, okay?" Ms. Jewls said.

"Okay, Carl, usually, a kid named Todd sits in that seat over there" Ms. Jewls instructed Carl while pointing at an empty seat typically reserved for Todd.

"But, since he's not here today, you'll have to take his place in the desk until we can find a desk of your own, okay?"

Carl nodded while Ms. Jewls' fish handed him a written piece of paper.

"This is all the homework we'll be working on for the following week; I trust you can fill it forwards and on, right?" Ms. Jewls asks.

"Of course I can, Miss Rebecca Jewls" Carl replied disconsolately as always while walking towards his seat.

The entire classroom, which included Ms. Jewls as well, gasped after hearing what Carl had stated. Nobody, not even the staff themselves knew Ms. Jewls' middle name. This really was something different for not only the class, but the entire school. She wanted to be safe about what she was doing, which was why Ms. Jewls chose to no longer doubt Carl's so called ability. For once, the discipline list would not be associated

While making his way, he noticed some students were turning their heads to look at him, even after he passed them. So much was the commotion that after making it to his own seat, Carl now knew that everyone in the classroom was looking at him.

"Oh sure, how are you all surprised? Your school has dancing cows for crying out loud!"

Since no one seemed to have the stomach in doing so, Dana decided to be the first to interview Todd as she loved to have conversations. Especially with people she didn't know yet.

Once she came close enough to Carl that he actually glanced at her for a moment, she began to speak.

"Greetings, Carl, and welcome to Wayside. I hope you come to enjoy your stay here. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm-"

"-Dana, and let me guess, you love rules, fun is something you think should be kept to a minimum, and your best friend is the Notorious B.I.G. who stole Einstein's hairdo over there, am I right?" Interrupted Carl impressively, while pointing at Myron.

After Carl had finished, Dana could never help but be left speechless.

"Wow, you really ARE a psychic, right?" Dana asked.

"So you're saying all that I said of you wasn't true?" Carl asked.

Dana didn't know how to reply, yet she tried as it could mark that for once, she didn't know the right words to say. Not because of the confusion, but from looking at Carl's glare. It was as though she had just made an enemy, but didn't want to be sure about it.

"Um, I think I'll go sit down now" Dana said.


	4. Chapter IV

After Dana walked back to her seat, the entire class was still holding their views on Carl.

"Anyone else want their palm read?" Carl asked, in a semi-threatening tone.

Everyone simultaneously turned their heads after hearing him and from there on, no one looked at Carl in that class again.

(Friday, 12:00 PM)

It was the middle of lunch break, and everyone was in a seat in the cafeteria, eating accompany with their own friends. All but Carl, who had chosen to bring his own lunch to a separate table.

Myron, who usually sat next to Todd during lunch break didn't want to be alone and made the dubious decision to walk to Carl's table. Carl, who halfway saw Myron walking this way, looked at him hastily before resuming eating his baloney sandwich.

"Um, I hope you don't mind me asking you, but-"

"Can you sit with me? Go ahead, just don't talk" Carl replied, never giving Myron a chance to finish.

Myron heard him, and sat down. Still, he was curious enough to contradict what Carl had ordered him to do.

"I know you told me not to talk, and I'm sorry if you hate me now for asking this but what is it that you have against people? I'm just curious" Myron inquired.

Myron thought this was going to become too much of a statement for Carl. Yet as he saw him continue eating his sandwich face down, something told Myron it didn't do any effect.

Not until he finished eating it at least.

"Look Myron, it's not that I hate everyone in this school or anything, it's just-"

Carl made a simple pause that could have lasted for a quarter of a minute. Maybe because of the fact he was trying to find a kinder way of putting it.

"-It's just that I don't want anyone to get used to the idea of having me here."

Carl thought he was getting through to Myron by answering him one question. Especially when he thought it might have been because of that Einstein insult he gave Myron during class. Seconds later, however, he knew one was never enough.

"Why not? Are you going to leave soon or something?" Myron asked.

"Look, this is why I didn't want you to talk! It's bad enough I'm here searching, but I've done more than I wanted to by just telling you one fifth of my plan" Carl said, trying to sound sociable.

Now that Carl mentioned it, Myron now knew there was no use in trying to interrogate him anymore. But he still didn't want to leave his curiosity empty handed.

"Well, can I ask you ONE last question?" Myron asked.

"Okay, but it had better be it and no more" Carl replied, trying to sound grimmer than ever.

Myron made sure to think about it clearer than he previously had. He had to find something that might be enough to spike his interests. Myron then asked after a minute's worth.

"I understand how you're able to read minds and all, and I'm sorry if this is going to sound a bit personal, but why do you only look at people once and not when their talking?"

Carl did seem to take this question as personal indeed from the face he was pulling. But he answered anyways as though trying to surprise Myron.

"By looking at someone just once, I know more than enough about them. If I make eye contact with them for too long, like I'd say ten seconds, I start to see things I'm not supposed to know about, ever! It's like the most personal thoughts anyone could have become my own. Trust me when I say this, it's not anything amazing to be able to see what the person sees, and know more than you'd ever want to know."

Before Carl continued, he looked to his left and to his right side for an obscure reason. Afterwards, he moved his index finger towards Myron, symbolizing to have him listen closely as he was about to whisper.

"Especially when you're **greedy** and you can't control it because it's almost like a side of its own that controls you. All you'd have to give in return is guilt. That's why I'm better of not looking at anyone when their eyes are open. Is that enough for you?"

Myron's question may have been answered, but his amazement still grew now that he thought about what Carl had told him very well. It was only the thought of no longer being able to interrogate Carl that made Myron struggle to come up with an answer.

"Um, well yeah! That's really quite an interesting scheme, thanks for sharing, I guess" Myron replied, as he took his tray and walked off.

"Whatever" Carl retaliated, and continued eating his sandwich.

--

**Likewise, here was the other part. And you know what? I realized something: At first I was going to put something inspired by the movie "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army", but after I saw the movie, I figured out I already did! I mean, who knew the princess could read minds by touching people! Quite a coincidence! XD Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	5. Chapter V

(Friday, 3:00 PM)

"Oh gosh, I really hope Todd's doing all right. You think it was my new hairstyle that must have flipped him over?" Mauricia asked who was standing next to her locker and Dana, who was emptying hers.

"Oh give me a break, Mauricia. It's not so probable to see it through that perspective" Dana asked.

"But he fainted! Was it really THAT bad?" Mauricia inquired almost gravely.

"I told you, Mauricia, it's just outlandish to assume it was because of that. I guess I might as well-" Said Dana, when she saw Carl beginning to pass her by.

Maybe it wasn't a good one, but this still gave Dana an idea she wanted to try out.

"Hey Carl! Can you come here for a second?" Dana called out.

From hearing that, Carl decided to walk towards where Dana was, and see what it was that she needed of her.

"Would you accept it, if we were to ask you to fulfill a favor for us?" Dana requested.

"Well, you might as well, seeing that it will be the last one I take in this school" Carl replied.

"What? Why is that exactly?" Mauricia asked

"Nothing, just tell me already what it is this favor that you wish me to take on." Carl replied, stubbornly.

It wasn't just Carl's cruel attitude that made Dana want to have second thoughts about this, but remembering earlier how he had spoken to her. Yet had it not been for Mauricia's intervention had he walked off.

"It's about our friend Todd, you see? He's been acting sort of strange this whole week, and we were wondering if you could…I don't know, see through his head what it is that is wrong with him?" Mauricia asked, almost letting her emotions get the best of her by just thinking of it.

Carl remained with the same look, never actually making direct eye contact or at least closing his eyes long enough at some points. Carl let out a slow sigh as he replied.

"All right, how strange was he acting would you say?" Carl replied.

Mauricia looked up and scratched her helmet to help her think.

"I don't know he just seemed to keep on reacting surprised every time we did certain things, or when he saw them, I don't know. Almost as though he saw an omen in each one or something" Mauricia replied.

"An omen, huh? Sounds lovely, and these simple incidences that this Todd fellow made a big deal of: what were they?" Carl asked.

This may have gone on a few days ago. But for Mauricia, it seemed to have remained trouble in trying to remember. Trouble enough to have her waste more than two minutes while saying "Uh" and "erg" and "well, um" several times in trying to remember.

"You know what, its okay. I'm quite confident you can come up with something better to do without the likes of me" Carl stated.

After saying so, Carl turned away and walked off.

Mauricia didn't know what to do. She could have stopped him, yet after looking at Dana decided to do nothing more than open her locker.

Once she found the combination and did so, she looked inside to find her books she was taking home. Just when Mauricia took out one book, she found something strange under it. Something that now that she looked at it, made her entire memory returns right away.

No wonder Mauricia chose to grab hold of that object, and skate over towards where Carl had walked off.

"Hey Carl! Wait a second! I want to show you something!" bellowed Mauricia after managing to spot him.

Carl was just at the point of completely exiting the school, when his route was immediately blocked by Mauricia.

"What is it now?" Carl asked thinking people would never stop bothering him unless he obtained a restraining order.

"Okay, I can't remember exactly what it was that Todd saw, but I know that one of those things was this!" Mauricia nearly exclaimed while handing Carl a wooden board of some kind.

It didn't seem to make it more interesting than he had planned for Carl after he grabbed hold of the board.

"I really don't understand this situation, what is it about this board that-"

Carl could have finished, yet when he looked at the board closely, something about it seemed to awaken in him. After a minute, Carl did more than hold the board and ran his fingers on the top right side of it, seeing something more than what he was holding.

"It can't be" Carl said to himself, as he turned the board completely over, and was immediately stunned from what he was seeing at that moment. As he flipped the board a few times, he closed his mouth as an attempt to calm his surprise, in spite of his eyes still retaining it.

Mauricia didn't seem to understand what was happening. She knew Todd had been surprised as Carl was at that moment, but she really wanted to know more than anything right now what it was. That was where she decided to ask him.

"Really, can you please explain to me what's so hysterical about a piece of wood with a face painted on it?"

Carl looked at the board for a few more seconds, and turned to glare at Mauricia. Since Mauricia knew nothing about how Carl's gift worked, she couldn't have expected him to attempt to make eye contact with for almost half a minute.

"What? What are you looking at you weirdo?" Mauricia asked, looking away.

"Seriously, are you going to tell me what it is or not?"

From there on, Carl lingered the thought until he knew there was no other way in looking at it. No one knew what he was looking for, but if the evidence was enough for him, then everything couldn't be proven wrong.

"Mauricia, is it true that you changed your own identity because you wanted to do the opposite of ditching and save your friends?" Carl asked, for once in the entire situation acting interested.

"Well, yeah, but what does that have anything to do with what I'm asking you? Apart from you being able to read my mind" Mauricia asked.

Now it was time for Carl to make an unlikely decision that which for him was likely yet for anyone else couldn't be. If he wanted to be sure about this once and for all, he had to act quickly in his supposed task.

That's exactly the moment when Carl let out a massive sigh before he replied.

"All right, Mauricia, show me where Todd lives".


	6. Chapter VI

(Friday, 11:00 PM)

_"Hello, are you awake?" _

He opened his eyes. Seeing nothing more, than darkness surrounding him if he were to look around. Not much to expect of an unlighted closet. He may have worried as of that moment why he was there to begin with, but what seemed to bother him more was where the voice that had called out for him seconds ago was coming from.

_"I'm all right with the scheme about comas lasting for more than twenty four hours, but when you're in motion for that long, it's inevitably true you must have been awake by now."_

Todd didn't know why this voice was calling for him. At first he thought the obvious yet conveniently logical: his mind could be playing tricks on him. The only problem is if it had, Todd wouldn't have received any sound. Nor could he guess it was anyone he knew.

Or could he?

_"I'm so glad you're awake! Don't you think it would alleviate the both of us if we could illuminate our views a little?"_

It was no longer just the voice that surprised Todd. But the idea that whoever that voice was thought he knew him more than Todd did. It was morally impossible from what Todd could just assume. He had to ask, the last thing he'd want to do was falter.

"Who are you?"

Todd waited for a reply. This came sooner than he hoped, just as anyone would have foreseen it.

_"Huh? I know you can't possibly see with all that dark in the way, but that's still just a silly question. Don't you know your former self when you hear him?"_

Todd felt a tinge of surprise ravel through the back of his head upon hearing those last words.

"Former self?" Todd asked aloud.

This statement was something he would have never expected. Or at least the way he heard it, make the least bit of sense.

Now was the time to think it through. How could anyone besides Todd himself try to claim his identity? Too many ideas, yet none of them seemed to cope with the logic Todd knew existed compared to what he had heard.

There was one thought, however, that when Todd retained it into remembering seemed to inflict quite a dose of shock after he took it.

It was too soon, but Todd could not shake the thought.

_"That's right."_

"No, it can't be!" Todd said while shaking his head, almost skeptical about the situation he was trying to deny.

Skeptical enough that after two seconds, Todd exited his closet quicker than he wanted to. Only to see it had been night already.

"Whoa, that must have been one wicked nightmare" Todd told himself.

For a while's worth, he decided to rub his head as he sat down on his diminutive bed. From that moment, he tried to become more aware of what had occurred before he came home. Yet it didn't work.

Just the thing Todd didn't seem to understand however was why he was having trouble trying to remember the entire week that had just preceded him.

Furthermore, he also seemed to be aware he was just as surprised right now as he was in his alleged dream. Although for Todd, it was hard to say whether it really was a dream, or he was just using that idea to remain in denial.

Even Todd knew he didn't want to take in that one thought that seemed to make him feel as though his mind was about to explode. All this did was make Todd want to forget about thinking for once.

Just as anyone would know, when someone looks at a certain position for too long, their view becomes blurry for a few seconds once they look away.

That's exactly how Todd felt right now. Nearly dizzy, Todd chose to lay on the bed right from that moment to stare straight up at the iridescent blue ceiling just above him.

"What happened? Why the heck was I in my closet?" Todd asked himself.

These questions were the prime resource of his puzzlement as he tried hard to remember. It was no use. All Todd could take as the last thing he did was coming out of the school bus on Monday, four days ago. After that, there was nothing.

It was as though he had been given amnesia for that particular series of days. Likewise, he wanted to remember, but maybe Todd's own mind was isolating those thoughts from him. Which when Todd hypothesized such theory, he found it to be impractical for him at least.

Trying to cope with these ideas for several minutes had made Todd forget about his lack of attentiveness as he soon realized he would be better of if he just slept on it.

This was what Todd chose to do, as he let out a feeble yawn before getting into the covers and closing his eyes. One measly minute passed when Todd could see nothing but darkness with his eyes closed.

Afterwards, something just as inexplicable as what had just preceded him when he was awake had happened. Todd didn't seem to take it as though he were actually dreaming when he presumed he was. Apart from the fact he was still in bed, it remained night as well.

The only thing different that which Todd had noticed was he was no longer sleepy. Plus, to his obvious incredulity, there appeared to be all together an XBOX 360, PS3, and a Nintendo Wii in front of his television.

"Okay, so maybe I AM dreaming" Said Todd as he came out of his bed, and immediately started playing one of them one at a time with games such as "Gears of War", "Halo 3", "Unreal Tournament 3" and "Super Smash Brothers Brawl".

He was having the time of his life playing each game each hour. Perhaps he didn't beat one, but then another one came by.

Once he had finished playing each one, Todd took a recess. There couldn't be anything more fun than being able to take advantage of one's own dream by using it to imagine all the best past times anyone would want to have.

But after sitting there for a couple of minutes, Todd now became aware of something more appalling: He never actually felt he was dreaming.

When someone dreams, they are usually half to not conscious at all about the situations they are in. Todd was completely conscious and furthermore, aware of everything. Ironically, thinking about all of these likelihoods made Todd return to the confused pattern he was in before.

"What's going on here? Come on!" Todd exclaimed to himself.

_"I'd seriously like to ask you the same question."_

Todd turned around. He had been surprised before in his life, but never had he seen so much in such a simple image. What appeared to be the ghost of a premature boy with a red shirt, blue shorts and wearing some odd dark hip-hop hat was hovering above him.

From that moment on, Todd felt a strange numbness overwhelm his body. It was as though something in his stomach was causing him to linger from movement.

This sort of feeling was stronger than any feeling he had had before that dealt with surprise, such as when he was about to be sent to the kindergarten bus, or even when Mauricia was about to whack him.

No, this feeling was something that had placed him more in denial now that he knew once more he was all but cataleptic from this so-called dream.

"No…It can't be you!" Todd cried out while pointing at the figure.

_"But of course it's me"._

_--_

**Hey there ya'll. Just to be honest, I seem to have trouble trying to cope with this story. That's why I'm going to leave it on hiatus until something pops up. I know it might be a long time from now before that manages to occur. But I really have no better remedy. so, later!**


	7. Chapter VII

From that second, Todd was unable to feel anything content go on inside him. He felt as though all the optimism he thought he had was finally about to expire. And all because of some ghost that seemed to give Todd from his newly petrified state painful nostalgia.

All this made him run towards a corner of his room, trying to avoid the ghost.

"I thought I didn't have to think of you anymore! Why do you still exist?" Todd asked feverishly yet dejectedly at the same minute.

"_Oh come on, "Todd", if that's what they seem to address you as nowadays. You know I never actually died; you just got rid of my exterior."_

Todd was still scared, yet he could not help but interject.

"YOU'RE exterior?! I'm the one who decided to get rid of you FROM ME!!"

The least his tone managed to do was make the ghostly figure scowl in fault as it replied.

"_You hold a legitimate point, but that's just what I was going to ask from you: Why did you get rid of me?"_

Had Todd felt no nerve in replying would this have been easier for him? Todd was near to angry, but when he made eye contact with the ghost himself, he didn't want to feel surprised nor outraged any longer. As of now, Todd began to feel only what the ghost made him feel from the get go, pessimism.

"Why do you think I got rid of you? I don't even want to remember" Todd said, as he felt the bottom of his lip quiver.

"It's all coming back to me! Now I know why I didn't come to school today!" Todd thought to himself.

The ghost could have spoken, right until he saw Todd's face up close was it more clearly to him. The ghost lowered towards Todd's level, which was now crouching nearly in fetal position in that same corner.

"_Calm down Todd. Just tell me what it is exactly that you hate about me. I'll understand."_

This made Todd look at the ghost, yet it wasn't going to stop him from lamenting how his feelings almost took over him.

"I d-don't hate you" Todd nearly stuttered.

"It's j-just that every time I l-l-look at-t y-you, I remember about ever-rything…Oh gosh, former self? I should have known"

This might have been what Todd wanted to be enough of an explanation. Yet the ghost's expression told him he had done everything except make it apparent for him.

"_What do you mean everything? You surely can't be talking about your childhood, right? I mean come on! No one can ever be able to-"_

"YES, I AM!!" Todd interrupted, now scowling enough for his eyes to close.

"DON'T YOU GET IT?! EVER SINCE THAT DAMN TRAGEDY HAPPENED, I LOST EVERYTHING! MY HOME, MY FRIENDS, MY SANGUINITY…EVERYTHING! YOU THINK I WANTED IT TO BE THE SAME AGAIN!?"

The ghost was without a doubt surprised. And became even more once Todd began giving him more of an answer than he requested. Even though he really did want an explanation, the ghost didn't know if this was too much he was taking from Todd.

"Everyone I knew died in that mass anthrax epidemic. Two of those friends I knew ran away. I knew I didn't want to live any longer; all I wanted to do was to end my life and get rid of the pain. The painful reminiscences of the childhood that was taken away from me"

Todd sniffed as he wiped away moisture that seemed to be entering his eyes.

"But then a friend of mine told me, before he ran off, to move on without him, there wasn't anything desperate I could do"

For every minute Todd took to explain all this, the ghost became more and more surprised as he heard every detail. Enough to have him rise upwards again.

"Then I figured out something, something clever. What it was was I didn't have to get rid of living. All I had to do was take out everything that made me think of what I once was, and succeed in convincing my parents to eliminate my identity, eliminate my image, eliminate my character, and most of all, eliminate myself"

From there and on, the ghost seemed to understand everything with more precision than before. Enough to have him ask intrepidly something he knew was already clear yet could not bother than to be sure about.

"_So…You got rid of me? You became someone else?"_

"Exactly, from the day I moved here and on, I was Todd Williams, I was never going to be Eddward Marion Schrödinger, or -"

It was the last phrase that made the ghost feel just as surprised as Todd felt.

"-Double D"

From there one out, silence spread throughout the psychologically synthesized room. One second, the ghost looked down for a moment while his flabbergasted gaze remained in tact. Todd, who had been feeling more confident than ever now that he explained things more thoroughly, thought he was going to remain that way.

That was until the ghost that could now be presumed was called Double D reacted with a question.

"_But you miss me, right?"_

Just hearing those words made Todd want to reply by just saying that he didn't. He could have done that, until he stopped himself from uttering even a vowel.

That was when Todd actually thought about what he was asking: did he miss being his former self?

All this made Todd begin to feel emotionally weak once more as he began to browse through his memories. The memories that he had when he wasn't who he was right now, but when he was who he really was, Double D.

Love for science, the unnecessary obligation of scams, having a crush on Nazz and being crushed by Sarah and the Kanker sisters. Thinking it through, Todd found out he really WAS someone special through those years. Those years that because of an envelope anthrax murder spree done on everyone except him and two of his other friends which he no longer remembered were stolen from him. Now they were nothing but the person he was looking at, an eclipse of the past.

"Why wouldn't I?" Todd said, as of now, being unable to avoid from crying due to his emotions finally giving him more than he wanted.

"Y...y...you're only someone (sniff) that (sniff) I w…wo...would have k…k…ept (sniff) being m…me if I hadn't (sniff) b…become s…s…someone else (sniff)" Todd faltered, obviously overpowered by all the snuffling his sobbing was giving him.

Double D came down once more to look at Todd much more easily as if to help him cope with the idea he was struggling to let go of.

"_Look, Todd, it's not as bad as you want it to be, okay? Just calm down and simply explain to me what was it that made you decide to forget about me until now"_

After Todd heard Double D's question, he thought it would be better if he just put himself together and wiped off the tears from his face as he tried hard to remember. It took him a while to come through with it, but after a while, he came up with some things that he now knew happened on Monday through Thursday.

"I guess I felt surprised when Myron, one of my simple minded friends, asked me if I owned a bug collection, which immediately reminded me about you. Then, my brainiac friend, Dana asked me if I considered her to be a "dork", which was something that although I could tolerate, drove me a bit nuts."

Todd was about to go on, when he chose to unfasten his eyes much wider before getting to the last part.

"But the two things that really gave me head sickness was when I saw Mauricia's new hairdo made her look exactly like Marie Kanker. And if knowing her name ties with the other one quite coincidentally wasn't enough, I didn't know how, but then I stumbled upon an old friend before dozing off"

Double D cringed in wonder before he asked.

"_Did that friend happen to be me?"_

"No" Todd said, before finally giving Double D the answer that would jumble more questions on him than he could count.

"It was Plank"

Now nothing more could be said. Double D knew quite well it would have had to have been someone like Plank to have been able to awaken Todd's awareness. What Double D didn't understand was how Plank could have possibly arrived at the scene.

For someone like Double D, it would be crazy to assume Plank would have moved there himself (unless it was for the fun of it). Until he realized he was no longer a part of his own physical personality. Perhaps there were many things Double D had underestimated throughout the time he began to remember quite clearly.

Especially, now that he figured it out, with his own existence.

"You know, I think I remember being almost similar to this before, and when you appeared" Todd said, which by that moment, got rid of the silence.

Plus, I made Double D forget about what he was initially speculating of.

"It was when I became crazy about becoming filthier the less soon I took a shower that I saw you"

Double D didn't know why, but he felt something strange after Todd said all that. Something he hadn't known until Todd finished off what he was trying to say.

"You seemed to be trying to tell me to become YOU when I had gone crazy. Of course, you disappeared so easily when my strange desire for filth defeated you. I knew you were going to become the way I once was after I saw you disappear" Todd continued.

It was as though he had finally become aware of how separate he and Todd actually were. Which Double D didn't know whether to find it a good thing or a bad thing.

"Now I know, all this time, you were someone I still wanted to be but never had the guts to admit to. All because I was running away. I'm sorry"

Double D didn't know what to think as of that moment. He was at first happy, yet depressed too from seeing Todd was now someone different from who he thought was merely a phase his body was going through.

Perhaps he didn't have to live in person to understand his own existence was viable.

"_Don't worry Todd, I'm sorry too for assuming that you weren't anything real, but if you insist, apology accepted"_

"Ha! Same here I guess" Todd replied, no longer sounding as cynical as he started out.

"So, does this mean we're friends now?"

Double D scratched his chin as a way to help him think about it more thoroughly. He couldn't say they weren't, but since he existed in him, he almost had the feeling he didn't have much of a choice.

"_Well, it depends on how you want me to see you from now on, but don't you already have people that you can call friends of your own?"_

"Yeah, but you can never have too many friends! If you want I can introduce… Oh that's right, how am I going to introduce you to them if-" Said Todd, before he came up with something clever.

"Hey, how'd you like to be me for a day?"

Double D´s eyes flew open after hearing such. There wasn't anything he couldn't say that that it was impossible, yet he still had a weird feeling of such. Still, if he never tried it, he would never know.

"_I guess we can go there, but what about Plank?"_

Now it was Todd's turn to become widely aware of the pros and cons of what they were trying to do. All those meetings may have been uncanny accidents, but Plank was the real deal. He could doubt that he was going to see him again, but there was still the idea of why he came there in the first place.

That's why Todd decided to remain positive yet serious as he answered Double D's question

"It's like I said, if we DO see him again, you can never have too many friends"


	8. Chapter VIII

(Earlier)

Mauricia now felt a small tinge of shock envelop her. It only lasted that way for about ten seconds before she knew it was actually something she was aiming for as well: hope.

"So you know what might be wrong with Todd?"

"Only if you trust me enough to lead me towards where he might be" Carl replied.

She began to speculate to herself by standing there. Was this really something she was aiming for as a chance to endorse the hope she wanted to persist, or a trap? It was hard to decide seeing that not only was she desperate, but the idea was beginning to pressure her to the point she had less of a choice than she figured.

Just then Dana interjects.

"Look, Mauricia, I know you and me want to know what's going on with Todd as of now, but something tells me this guy won't help us!"

Dana leaned her head towards the left to get a clear view of Carl's head due to Mauricia's head serving as a barrier from her conversation. Carl looked at her for less that a second, raised an eyebrow, and left his eyes closed perceptibly. Dana couldn't help but to scowl in return before returning her sight to Mauricia.

"I know, but regardless of that "something", what other option do we have?" Asked Mauricia desolately.

Dana knew she had a point. Either that or it was her dejected form that made her think for a second this was perhaps their only chance. However, Dana interjected once more to keep it safe.

"Well, I don't know, I mean, I just don't want to trust this fellow. I can support my brothers' difficulty, but this is something I haven't the slightest idea to deem as, well, trustworthy."

Dana and Mauricia just stood there dull as ever while trying to think of something. It's as though they had been petrified by a mysterious force until four seconds later.

"I know, why don't we just go where Todd lives? I'm sure we alone can do something to help" Dana asked.

Mauricia, instead of replying to how convenient that idea was, merely nodded as though her mind had been clouded with solemnity.

"Are you both sure you can handle this on your own?" Carl asked.

From that moment, Dana and Mauricia could not help but distinguish a small plight of worry in Carl's tone. In spite of for once expressing emotion, they seemed to have made up their minds now.

"No thanks, Carl. I know we're sure enough, thanks for being concerned likewise!" Dana replied, unaware of the conceit she nearly exposed in her voice.

Mauricia and Dana walked away now newly confident of what it was that they had to do. Two seconds later, they stopped t hear Carl speak in mid air something.

"Before you go, let me just say this: You've made a mistake by excluding me"

Dana and Mauricia were on the verge of turning around to ask why. Had they not known this was a psychic they were talking to. One thing they shouldn't have thought they could do however was underestimate him as he continued.

"Once night falls, my shadow will return, and his revenge will be concluded. I know the key to keeping your friend safe from the harm that will befall him. Only now that is when I'm certain my shadow won't hurt any of you. But now that he knows, I must tell you something very important"

Hearing that part was what made Dana and Mauricia turn around. This time before he continued, Carl's voice came through like a hybrid of a demonic entity and his voice merged.

"Soon, something horrible will happen to this school. Escape, mortals, now if life is what you value."

After a moment, Carl just stood there after uttering those phrases, and then said something else. Dana and Mauricia were too surprised to see whether it was about a mood swing that made Carl as somber as of now.

"Before you go, tell this to Todd. Tell Todd that I'm going to miss him. And tell him it's Eddy that says this"

Once he was finished, something impossible happened. Dana and Mauricia blinked, but once they opened their eyes, Carl was gone. Either he quickly became invisible, or also had the power to dissolve out of perception in the blink of an eye. There was no one more for them to listen to, but each other.

"Who's Eddy?" Mauricia asked.

"I don't know, the only thing I know is I can't quite clearly agree or doubt what that kid said" Dana replied.

From there, Dana and Mauricia walked off.

--

**And so there you have the last chapter of the story (at least according to everyone who doesn't want me to contine this). I hope you enjoyed this cause unless you want to tell me otherwise, this story will remain on hiatus, FOREVER!!**


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